Housing arrangement for a friction clutch

Abstract

A housing arrangement for a friction clutch, especially for a multi-disk clutch, where the housing arrangement is designed approximately in the shape of a cup and is provided with a bottom area and an edge area for connection to a flywheel. At least one air through-opening is provided in the bottom area, each opening being bounded by a front edge and a rear edge with respect to the direction of rotation, the front edge being axially offset toward the interior of the housing with respect to said rear edge.

We claim:  
     
       1. A housing arrangement for a friction clutch having a direction of rotation about an axis, said housing arrangement comprising a housing in the form of a cup having a bottom transverse to said axis and a circumferential edge area defining an interior, said housing having at least one air through-opening in said bottom, each said through-opening being circumferentially closed and having a front edge and a rear edge with respect to said direction of rotation, said front edge being axially offset toward said interior with respect to said rear edge. 
     
     
       2. A housing arrangement as in  claim 1  wherein said bottom has an exterior surface opposite from said interior, said exterior surface sloping down toward said interior at said front edge. 
     
     
       3. A housing arrangement as in  claim 1  wherein said bottom has an interior surface facing said interior, said interior surface rising upward toward said rear edge. 
     
     
       4. A housing arrangement as in  claim 1  comprising a plurality of said air through-openings distributed about said axis of rotation. 
     
     
       5. A housing arrangement as in  claim 4  wherein said air through-openings are arranged in circumferentially spaced groups. 
     
     
       6. A housing arrangement as in  claim 1  wherein said housing is cast metal. 
     
     
       7. A housing arrangement as in  claim 1  wherein said housing is unbalanced prior to assembling other components to said housing. 
     
     
       8. A housing arrangement as in  claim 4  wherein said bottom comprises a web separating said front edge of one of said openings from a rear edge of another one of said openings, said web having a surface facing said interior and a surface facing away from said interior, at least one of said surfaces being at an acute angle to a plane orthogonal to said axis of rotation. 
     
     
       9. A friction clutch having a direction of rotation about an axis, said friction clutch comprising a housing in the form of a cup having a bottom transverse to said axis and a circumferential edge area defining an interior, said housing having at least one air through-opening in said bottom, each said through-opening being circumferentially closed and having a front edge and a rear edge with respect to said direction of rotation, said front edge being axially offset toward said interior with respect to said rear edge. 
     
     
       10. A friction clutch as in  claim 9  further comprising a plurality of clutch disks. 
     
     
       11. A friction clutch as in  claim 9  wherein said bottom comprises a bottom surface facing away from said interior, each said rear edge not extending above said bottom surface. 
     
     
       12. A housing as in  claim 1  wherein said bottom comprises a bottom surface facing away from said interior, each said rear edge not extending above said bottom surface.